The State Council has decided to maintain favorable and
supportive policies during the 11th Five-Year Plan period
(2006-2010) to promote Tibet Autonomous Region's economic and social
development.
The central government attaches great importance to work in
Tibet, having held four working conferences on Tibet since the
reform and the opening-up policy began at the end of 1970s, and
formulated favorable and supportive policies to accelerate the
region's economic development and stability.
Despite the great improvement in Tibetan people's lives, Tibet
is still an under-developed region of China due to its special
geographic environment and particular historical factors.
The State Council, therefore, has decided to continue the policy
formulated in the fourth working conference on Tibet and enhance
support to Tibet in the areas of agriculture, infrastructure, human
resources, education, science, public health, culture and social
welfare.
The government will boost action to improve production and life
conditions of Tibetan farmers and herdsmen, and will view increase
in income as a priority task in Tibetan economic and social
development.
The central government will add investment to Tibet, and by the
end of the 11th Five-Year Plan period, almost all Tibetan farmers
and herdsmen will have their water and electricity problems
solved.
The government will continue enhancing infrastructure
construction in Tibet, extending the Qinghai-Tibet Railway,
reconstructing the main roads connecting Tibet and surrounding
regions, accelerating airport construction, as well as improving
the energy, postal, and telephone services over the next five
years.
The government will push the development of education, science,
culture, public health and social welfare, popularizing the
nine-year compulsory education, enhancing high school education and
improving college education.
The government will continue to increase investment for cultural
relic protection, and improve the system on disease prevention and
control.
(Xinhua News Agency November 28, 2006)